Apparently, some people are pushing something like a local business version of Black Friday. Of course, it’s a different day–the Saturday after Thanksgiving–so the committed shopper can always double-dip.
The State of Indiana is trying to help local businesses in a different way: encouraging citizens to buy real Christmas trees from local tree farms. Portland, Oregon, on the other hand, seemingly has more mixed feelings about the sale of Christmas flora. An eleven-year old girl selling mistletoe in the downtown market was stopped for not having the appropriate documentation.
In other news, a Harvard professor appears to think that his students’ lives will be changed by ancient Chinese moral and political philosophy. The article also contains some intriguing musings as to why Eastern philosophical ideas are enjoying popularity at Western universities. And, on an unrelated note, the Guardian discusses local management of housing communities.
